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Pedro Neto avoids punishment for pushing Paris St Germain ball boy

Pedro Neto apologised to the ball boy after the game
Pedro Neto apologised to the ball boy after the game

Pedro Neto has avoided punishment after shoving a ball-boy in last week's Champions League defeat to Paris St Germain.

UEFA has opted not to sanction the Portugal winger having opened disciplinary proceedings against him for pushing a ball-boy off his chair while trying to retrieve the ball.

The incident occurred in the closing stages of the last-16 first leg at Parc des Prince, which Chelsea lost 5-2.

UEFA has confirmed its Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) has decided to "warn Chelsea FC player Mr Pedro Lomba Neto for unsporting conduct".

Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior welcomed UEFA’s decision at a press conference before Tuesday night’s return leg at Stamford Bridge.

Rosenior said: "He’s apologised for the incident in Paris. There was no real bad intention, he just wanted to get on with the game. I think UEFA have made the right decision."

Neto revealed he apologised to the ball-boy after the first leg in a post-match interview on TNT Sports.

He said: "I’m not like this. It was in the heat of the moment and I want to apologise. I gave him my shirt. I’m really sorry about it – I feel I have to apologise to him.

"My French is not very good, and Vitinha came over and said to him I was not like this.

"At the end (the ball boy) laughed and I gave him my shirt and said sorry about 35 times. He could see what had happened and was happy with the situation."


Watch Liverpool v Galatasaray in the Champions League on Wednesday from 7.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on the RTÉ News app and on rte.ie/sport

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